West Ham vs Chelsea predictions: Hammers' home woes to continue
- Chelsea are eighth with seven points so far
- West Ham have picked up just four points
- Recommended bet: Chelsea to win
Chelsea opened the Enzo Maresca era with a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, but a seven-point haul in the following three games has boosted morale at Stamford Bridge and they will be looking to punish capital rivals West Ham at the London Stadium on Saturday.
The Hammers, also under new management with Julen Lopetegui, required a 90th-minute equaliser to avoid defeat at Craven Cottage last weekend and could struggle to match the visiting Blues.
Team news
Alphonse Areola recovered in time to face Fulham for West Ham last week, but summer-signing Niklas Fullkrug was not fit and remains a doubt, potentially joining Aaron Cresswell on the sidelines.
Reece James is still out for Chelsea with a hamstring problem, but four players may return from a spell on the sidelines on Saturday, with Romeo Lavia, Malo Gusto, Enzo Fernandez, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall all expected to be fit.
The stats
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last five Premier League away games.
West Ham have lost both their home league games this season, going down to Aston Villa and Manchester City at the London Stadium.
Chelsea have won three of their last five meetings with West Ham.
The Hammers' only home wins in 2024 have come against Brentford and Luton.
Prediction
Danny Ings, standing in for the injured Fullkrug, was West Ham's saviour last weekend as his 90th-minute goal secured them a point at Craven Cottage, but the outlook does not look particularly bright as they host Chelsea in Saturday’s early Premier League kick-off.
Lopetegui’s side have lost both home league games this season against Aston Villa and Manchester City, and their record at the London Stadium was poor last term under previous boss David Moyes too.
They have won just two top-flight matches at home in 2024, and those came against strugglers Brentford and Luton.
Chelsea's new manager Maresca started life at Stamford Bridge with defeat, but since then they have thrashed Wolves, drawn with Crystal Palace and beaten Bournemouth, marking them as justified favourites for their trip across the capital.
The Blues have won both away games this season and demolished West Ham 5-0 the last time they met in May.
That was the third victory for Chelsea in their last five meetings with the Hammers and, with as many as four players returning to their burgeoning squad after injury and illness, they can triumph again.
Win up to £250,000 with LiveScore 6!
Win up to £250,000 with our free-to-play game, LiveScore 6!
